Fadnavis dismisses Raut's superstition claim; says he will move to CM bungalow after daughter's exam

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday dismissed claims of not shifting to the official CM residence in south Mumbai due to superstition, and said he would move in after his daughter's board exams get over.

His clarification comes hours after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut that buffaloes sacrificed in Guwahati during Eknath Shinde's visit to the Kamakhya temple were buried on the premises of 'Varsha', the official residence of the chief minister, so that the CM's post should not go to anybody else other than Shinde.

Shinde became the chief minister of the state in June 2022 after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and joined hands with the BJP. He remained the CM till November 2024. But after the assembly polls, Fadnavis took over as the chief minister for the third time.

Fadnavis currently stays at 'Sagar' bungalow despite taking charge as chief minister in the first week of December.

Dismissing Raut's claims, Fadnavis said, "I will move into 'Varsha' bungalow once Eknath Shinde vacates it. Some minor repairs are also being carried out. In the meantime, my daughter, who is in Class 10, requested that we shift only after her exams. That is the reason I have not moved in yet." Ridiculing the claims, he said, "These absurd rumours do not even deserve a response from someone at my level."

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who currently resides at Varsha, also commented on the controversy, saying, "Those making these claims probably have more experience in such matters."